Comelec abetting ‘money politics’

Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo is at it again, defending the indefensible to the point of absurdity. There’s nothing wrong with having five Arroyos in the House of Reps, he says: Gloria as Pampanga rep, son Dato as Camarines rep, brother-in-law Iggy as Negros rep, and another son Mikey and sister-in-law Marilou as party-list reps. Other political clans do it, Saludo chatters, so the Arroyos are equally entitled.

Saludo forgets. The Constitution forbids political dynasties. That there’s no enabling does not mean anyone can abuse the political space to make family members reign simultaneously or in succession. “Abuse” brings us to a related point: it was Gloria Arroyo who financed the quick rise of the Ampatuan dynasty. Under her the clan gained 22 elective posts in Maguindanao province and the Autonomous Muslim Region, plus many more appointive ones. The ban on dynasties is to prevent abuse of power. But Arroyo abetted the Ampatuans — to the point of their alleged massacre of 57 female political rivals, lawyers and journalists.